This important step permit to evaluate an approximate harvest date which is usually 40 days after Véraison. Also, at this point, the berries start to increase their sugar level while decreasing their acidity and are now much more resistant to all vine disease, which means less treatments and, at last, some rest for farmers.

This is the period where all villages around do their "Fête du Vin". The most famous is "la fête de la Véraison" in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The last years, I was attending it without really realizing why farmers have such a relaxed look on their face. Now, I know...